Hakka Garden Chinese Restaurant — Restaurant in Toronto

Read before eat here. I recently visited [Restaurant Name] for dinner, and I must say, I left feeling incredibly disappointed with the overall experience. The food prices were exorbitant, and the portion sizes were shockingly small for what they charged me – a whopping $15 for dine-in! I believe it's essential to share my candid thoughts about this dining establishment to help others make informed decisions. First and foremost, let's talk about the prices. The menu displayed dishes at such high rates that I was genuinely taken aback. I understand that fine dining establishments may charge more for their culinary creations, but the prices at [Restaurant Name] were unjustifiable. I could have easily enjoyed a full meal at a comparable restaurant for half the price and with better value. Additionally, the portion sizes were laughably inadequate. I left the restaurant feeling hungry and unsatisfied, which is unacceptable considering the hefty price I paid. Even though the food tasted decent, it's hard to enjoy a meal when you're constantly aware that you're not getting your money's worth. Service was another area where [Restaurant Name] fell short. The waitstaff seemed disinterested and inattentive, failing to provide the level of care and attention one would expect from a restaurant charging such high prices. It was as if they assumed that customers would accept anything just because of the restaurant's reputation. To top it off, the ambiance was nothing extraordinary, and the atmosphere did not make up for the disappointing dining experience. The restaurant's interior felt dated and lacked the charm and sophistication that often accompanies expensive dining venues.

In conclusion, I regretfully state that my visit to [Restaurant Name] was a regrettable experience that left me feeling unsatisfied and overcharged. I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this restaurant to anyone seeking value for their hard-earned money. There are numerous other dining options available that offer both quality food and fair pricing.

I hope this review serves as a cautionary tale for others, and perhaps it will encourage the management of [Restaurant Name] to reevaluate their pricing and portion strategies to better align with their customers' expectations. UI had the misfortune of dining at Haka Garden recently, and I must say, it was an incredibly disappointing experience from start to finish. The prices for the food were shockingly high, and the portions they served were anything but generous. I feel compelled to share my honest thoughts about my visit to warn others who might be considering eating at Haka Garden.

To begin with, the prices at Haka Garden were beyond reasonable. I was appalled by the steep costs of their dishes, especially when compared to the meager portions they provided. Paying $15 for a dine-in meal that left me hungry and unsatisfied was far from what I expected. It's essential for any restaurant to offer fair value for the money customers spend, and Haka Garden fell far short in...

To start off, Hakka Chinese is my favourite cuisine. I have been to several Hakka restaurants in the Toronto/Scarborough area and have tried various dishes in the course of several years.

Now about Hakka Garden: I have been here a few times. Food is generally okay, but any positives on that are drowned out by the horrible customer service. Servers don't know anything about the menu items and aren't really able to answer any questions about them. None of them look happy to be there. The owner lady (the one usually standing at the cash counter) never smiles and has an unfriendly and rude attitude, and I've experienced this on EVERY SINGLE VISIT. Wait time is okay. Ambiance is low-class and the dining area is pretty small. If I do visit here, which is rarely, I like to come at a non-busy time and get a window booth, which makes the experience slightly better. Or just get take-out.

Food-wise, I've had their Hakka Chow Mein (average but good), Chili Chicken (good, but tbh I've had better), Chili Shrimp (good), Chicken Fried Rice (average), Crispy Beef (actually kinda disgusting and cloyingly sweet), Chicken Pakora (okay), Hot and Sour Soup (okay), Singapore Fried Rice (didn't like it but first time ever trying it), and Szechuan Chicken (too salty, didn't like the flavour). Out of all the dishes I've tried here, the chili chicken and chili fish were the best (definitely better than the chili chicken at nearby Faley's).

To reiterate, food is okay to good depending on what you order. As I said, I've been to several Hakka Chinese places over the years and this one would never be in the top 5. Service is bad. Prices are on the higher end in the Hakka industry. You may find yourself putting up with this place due to convenience (if you live close by) and the fact that this restaurant is one of the only Halal Hakka restaurants that don't serve alcohol (which is an important factor for some Muslims). If you don't have the option to visit a MUCH better Hakka place elsewhere, your best option is to get take-out from here rather...

HAIR in RICE DISH Being going to this place a few times - Was recently at the restaurant just about an hr. remaining before they were going to close. Ordered the food with the family and then one of my family members noticed HAIR in the rice dish we ordered. They showed it to me to confirm that it was truly what they were seeing and I could see it too. This was just nasty and my family member decided to leave with couple of others because they found it really disgusting. I called the server and showed it to her who was standing just close by and she took it and showed it to the owners of the restaurant and all I got from them was - "Don't worry, we won't charge you for that dish". There was no apology either, I would have expected them to wave off the bill altogether, but didn't seem they cared much. Plus by the looks of it how they dealt with the matter, it seems that they know it’s an issue, because the server went back in to let the cooks know as well in their native language (Chinese). I saw later that the kitchen was closed and the cooks were taking out the garbage through the restaurant, I know they were cooks because the place is small and you can see through the kitchen when the door is opening/closing. They were not wearing any hair nets and its possible they took it off, but all they had was a baseball cap on. I was upset, but didn't say anything and decided to wrap up my dinner and pay and leave. For sure I won't be coming back to this restaurant. I don't think keeping up with hygiene is a big factor for this restaurant. Proper food handling training is essential for repeat customers. There are other HAKKA places in and around that you can try your luck...